Love and Life with Dr. Karin and Pastor Elliott

Sometimes the ticking gets so loud it’s deafening. We try to “beat the biological clock,” but even if we beat it, do we actually win? Psychotherapists Brunnie Getchell and Alison Seponara dive into this question, sharing therapeutic techniques to help us adjust and adapt when life hasn’t played out as planned. Join us for a lively discussion on:•Mindfulness practices for easing anxiety (about the future) and depression (due to past regrets).•How reframing the pain of “missing” life’s milestones facilitates emotional healing. •Recognizing when we give away our power—and how to take it back!•Ways to cultivate intimacy in our lives—even when love has yet to arrive.•Why the option to settle isn’t really an option—and how settling is related to dysfunction in families. Brunnie and Alison offer insight from their therapeutic expertise and encouragement from their personal journeys as single women who’ve had to navigate circuitous routes and make peace with the ticking of their own biological clocks.Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

“Just be yourself!” It should be so easy, but for most of us, the quest for authenticity proves an ongoing struggle. Mindset coach Leisse Wilcox joins me to delve into vulnerability, pain, and finding our true self. Leisse shares how the agony of her divorce led to her become “unapologetically clear” regarding who she is and what she’s about. We discuss the challenges we all face when pursuing authenticity—including insensitive comments from others and what these responses actually mean. Leisse discusses how her background in child development not only helped her explain her divorce to her three young daughters, but also helped her process the experience herself. We wrap up part one of our conversation with an authenticity mantra courtesy of Sex and the City’s Charlotte York Goldenblatt!

Are you struggling to meet quality people online and via apps? Maybe it’s time to try a different approach—like I did! After years on the dating scene and no success online, I figured there had to be a better option, so I joined It’s Just Lunch and let a matchmaker do the work for me. In this episode, Dan and I talk about our experience with a dating service and what it’s like to have a professional pick out your dates. Then Melissa Brown, CEO of It’s Just Lunch, joins the conversation to share how IJL could help you meet someone special!www.drkarin.me

We all know that exercise benefits both physical and emotional health. But there’s more to the story! Author William Pullen joins me to discuss his book, Running with Mindfulness: Dynamic Running Therapy (DRT) to Improve Low-Mood, Anxiety, Stress, and Depression. We talk about so much good stuff including:How DRT addresses isolation in an age of hyper-connectedness.The step too many therapists overlook when treating depression.What Prince Harry needs to incorporate in his “End the Stigma” campaign.The listening skill that will enhance your relationship with everyone in your life.How therapeutic techniques help the FBI negotiate with kidnappers—and how this relates to your ability to deeply connect with others.Pullen leaves us with practical tools to elevate your mood from Dynamic Running Therapy and spoiler alert—you don’t need to be a runner to utilize them! www.drkarin.me

We hear it all the time—strong relationships start with loving yourself first. And while this advice seems reasonable in theory, it’s not always especially useful in practice. What does it really mean to love yourself and how exactly do you do it? Katherine Baldwin, author of How to Fall in Love: A 10-Step Journey to the Heart, joins me to talk about her lifelong quest for self-love and how she finally found peace (and love) after years of restlessness and self-sabotage. We talk about the dangers of being “in deficit” and discuss strategies and tools to help us fall in love . . . with ourselves!

CBD oil—everyone’s talking about it and many claim it cures a wide array of conditions—anxiety, ADHD, depression, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and polycystic ovarian disease, just to name a few! But does it really work? And if so, how can does it treat both psychological and physiological problems? Jen Kerr of HempWorx joins me to provide answers to these questions and more. She addresses the controversies surrounding CBD oil—spoiler alert, yes, it’s legal and no, you won’t get high from it—and shares the research she’s uncovered, along with personal testimonials of CBD success—including her own!www.drkarin.me

Hospice nurse Amber Runyon visited Ethiopia and witnessed little girls being sold into prostitution. Appalled and discouraged, she returned to the U.S. only to realize her hometown, Columbus, Ohio, had an enormous problem with human trafficking as well. She decided to shine a light in this darkest domain by starting Eleventh Candle Co. to provide jobs for those trying to leave the sex trafficking industry. Amber joins me to share her story and inspire us all to make a difference in whatever way we can—even something as simple as buying a candle, can combat human trafficking!www.drkarin.me

Dating apps—most of us have a love/hate relationship with them. Yes, they help us connect, but do these connections ever go anywhere? Too often the answer is no—until now! The good news is, a new option has hit the scene—Cove Dating App! Charles Messow, creator of Cove, joins me to discuss the radically different approach Cove offers. As Charles says, “People are starving for more depth. We’ve put together a product with a lot of love and thought behind it.” Listen to find out how a dating app CAN facilitate deep, meaningful relationships!www.drkarin.me

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 70% of remarriages involving children from a previous relationship end in divorce. Clearly, blended families face unique challenges. To further complicate matters, in some cases a husband brings children to the marriage while his new wife struggles with infertility. Kelly Palmquist, MSW, joins me to talk about raising his kids, while desiring our own.www.drkarin.me

It’s sad, but true. Young girls can be very mean, but what can we do about it? Katie Hurley, LCSW, author of No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising Strong, Confident, and Compassionate Girls joins me to discuss this and other important developmental concerns. In Part 2 of my conversation with Katie, we discuss the profound impact of sleep deprivation (spoiler alert: your kids may not have anxiety or ADHD, they may actually just be sleep deprived!), the uber competitive nature of sports today, the “culture of busy,” and the three most important needs of the developing brain. We also delve into the debate surrounding praise (are kids receiving too much or too little praise?) and why you need to assess your child’s “self-esteem baseline.”www.drkarin.me